Article-conveying mechanism



June 1944- 1.. J. SALADIN ARTICLE CONVEYING MECHANISM Original Filed July 28, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 3 8 :N NxMF WEN- N E gm aw EN mg m Q ivvzzvro n (more nee I v Arron/n .1ane 20, 1944.

L. J. SALADIN I ARTICLE CONVEYING MECHANISM 0r igina1 Filed ,July 28, 1941 -15 Sheets-Sheet 2 new d N m QN ARTICLE CONVEYING MECHANISM Original Filed July 28, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 rromvsvs.

Patented June 20, 1944 ARTICLE-CONVEYING MECHANISM Lawrence J. Saladin, Chicago, 11]., assignor [to Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company, Chicago, 111., a cor poration of Delaware Original application July 28, 1941, Serial No. 404,260. Divided and this application June '1, 1942, Serial No. 445.297

15 Claims.

This invention relates to a novel and improved article conveying mechanism and consists of the matters hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended Claims.

The object of the invention is to provide a conveyor by means of which elongated :pieces of gum or the like are intermittently fed endwise from a hopper to a casing whence, and by means contained in said casing, the pieces are fed lat- 'erally fiatwise to a wrapping machine whereby the sticks are successively'wrapped.

The advantages of the invention will be obvious to those familiar with the art.

This application is a division of an application heretofore filed by me July .28, 1941, Serial 'No.'404,260, now Patent No. 2,306,191, dated .December 22, 1942, for improvements in Pack-age wrapping machine.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view representing .a front relevationshown partially in section of the novel stick conveying and transfer mechanism, together with a wrapping drum 'to which the .sticks are delivered.

Figure 2 is a partial .end view on an enlarged scale of the feed end of the machine looked at from a plane indicated by the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure .3 is a partial vertical sectional :view in a plane indicated by the line 3-3 of Figure "7, the scale being the same as that of Figure :2.

.Figure 4 is a sectional view like unto Figure 3,with the parts in differentposition.

Figure 5 is a view representing :a side e'lev-ation, partly in section, of the conveyor and transfer mechanism, and a stick-wrapping mechanism to which it delivers the sticks to be wrapped.

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5 showing parts thereof in a different position.

Figure '7 is a horizontal plan section .on an enlarged scale of the parts .shown in Figure .1.

Referring now to that embodiment of the invention illustrated in the-drawings: indicates the machine frame upon which the various parts now to be described are mounted. The .pieces of gum or the like to be wrapped are fed'endwise, one by one, into a Vertical tubularchannel member 23. The channel -23 opens atlits bottom-end the left as shown in the drawings) towards a piece-wrapping machine to which, as illustrated in this case, the pieces are to be transferred.

In the casing 24 and concentric therewith is mounted a rotary teed member 25. Itcomprises laterally spaced discs 25% 25 (see Figure 5) with an interposed spacing disc 25 of smaller diameter to which they are fixed. Said rotor is keyed to a horizontal shaft 26 having suitable bearing 2'! in the frame. Its spaced discs 25 a are each provided with a plurality (four in this instance) of like, equally spaced, radially disposed arms 28 with arcuate fingers 29 radially spaced from the disc and extending in the directionin which the rotor is designed to rotate, :as indicated by the arrow in *Figure 3. The fingers '29 of one of said discs 25* have lateral projections 29 which extend through a circular space or slot 30 between a circular .plate "3|, which forms a vertical wall of the .casing 524 and :the circular wall 24 of the casing 24.

A spring controlled "vertical gate S2 is pivoted within :the casing 25 :by a horizontal :pi-n 32 located forwardly of the vertical path of disch'carge of the pieces A .from the :channel 23 into the-casing 24. Said gate-normallystands as .a continuation of the forward wall or the said channel rsee Figure 2 'The pin .32 :is :rotatiueiy mounted in a cover 2.4 hinged :at 24 to the casing 24 (see Figures 2, :3 and 15),. Said pin 3% extends beyond the plane of thewaill'plate 3:! ,0f' the-1C2. S

' ing as shown in Figure 2. There it has fixed the :rotor 25 from thezsaid lateral projections 29 are alike, equally spaced pockets .33 formed in its spaced discs :25. Said pockets are inclined 1 8211 -wardly to a radius of the rotor with respect to the direction of-its rotation and are adapted to receive the pieces of gum or the like when a pocket comesr-into alignment i-below the channel rotor :discs 25*, 25 :is=a horizontal shelf 34 fixed to the casing 2Q .(see;F!igures 3,-.4 and .5)-

As will :be seen .in Figures -2 .and3,.each of ;the

. :arcuate fingers 29 define the outer 'Side of an into a flat circular casing 24 -(see Figures 2, a

and -5.) fixed to the :frame in a vertical plane extending at right angles to the. plane .of the sticks red through said channel member. From said-casing 24 and by mechanism contained therein, the pieces are fed laterally, flatwise Ito-.165

.arcuate slot .291), which ,is ,-formed in the =rotary discs 25a, 25a, and extends :circrunferen-ti-ally from the following side edge of each -pocket 33. The ;purpose .ofthese slots will hereinafter more fully :appear. 7 i I V The 'nperation of the mechanism ;.in the casing g 24 is as follows: By gravity the pieces A are delivered in succession endwise through the chute 23 to the casing 24. The lowermost piece A is caught in the pocket 33 directly below the chute 23. The gate 32, providing the bottom 'part of the forward wall 23 of said chute, guides said piece into said. pocket. This position of the parts is illustrated in dotted lines in Figure'2. In said position, an offset 29 of a finger 29 is near to I the end of the trigger 32. '10 In the next operative movement of the-rotor 25 the said offset 26 strikes the trigger 32 and swings the gate away from the piece A; in thepocket 33, permitting said piece to be carried on by the rotor. At the same time the next succeeding piece above is engaged b and rides upon. 3

the fingers 29 and arms 28 until the next succeeding pocket 33 is brought to position below the chute 23, Thereupon said piece is guided into. said pocket. To facilitate and guide the movement of the piece A into said pocket the arm 28 has a heel 28 which is curved inwardly toward said pocket in manner to reduce the shock of the drop of said piece into the pocket. In the meantime the spring-controlled gate 32 has returned to its position of forming the forward wall of the chute. In this movement of the rotor the piece deposited in the pocket 33 is delivered to the shelf '34 upon which it rests until it is dis charged therefrom, as will be now described.

From the shelf 34 in the casing 24 the pieces A are fed intermittently sidewise and transversely of said casing by a horizontally reciprocable plunger 35 to a wrapping drum 36 I see Figure 5). To this end, the casing 24 is provided with hori- I zontal aligned openings in the plane of the shelf 34--an opening 34 for the entrance of said plunger 35 and an outlet opening 34 forthe discharge of a piece A. The wrapping drum 36 is of familiar construction, with. pockets 3I equally spaced about its periphery. It is intermittently operated in timed relation to the operation of the said feed rotor 25 and the plunger 35, to bring one of its pockets 3'! into horizontal alignment with the shelf 34 and the outlet opening 34 of the." 4 casing 24, to receive a piece A when it. is propelled by said plunger into said pocket 31. After the retraction of said plunger has commenced, the rotor 25 is again operated to deposit another piece A on the shelf 34, after which the 5 first operation is repeated. I

The purpose of the circumferentially disposed slots 29 adjacent the following side edges of pockets 33 will now be apparent. The arrangement shown permits the rotor 25 to be started? while the plunger 35 is still being withdrawn from pocket 33 after a piece has been propelled from the latter. Byavoiding interference between the plunger and rotor in this manner, it is possible to reciprocate the plunger at a relatively? slow speed, thus avoiding the necessity for a much more rap-id propelling of said plunger, which would tend to injurethe pieces when they are ejected from the pockets 33.

The gearing by which the stick conveying and transfer mechanism is operated in intermittent timed relation to the like operation of the wrapping drum towhich the sticks are delivered, will now be described. The numerals used in connection with such gearing are the same as and correspond to the numeralsused in the parent application. v

H8 (see Figure I) indicates acontinuously rotating shaft supported by the frame, driven in any convenient manner. Said. shaft H81 00 1- rock arm I44 pivoted on the frame at I44.

( Figure 6). are brought to engagement with the margins of such gearing the intermittent rotation of the wrapping drum 36 in the manner described is brought about.

n I26 indicates a horizontal shaft extending parallel to the intermittently rotating shaft 36 and 1 connected by gearing I 21 at one end to the shaft 36? and by miter gearing I 28 to a transverse shaft I29 and gearing I36 to operate the intermittently rotatedlshaft -26-of the rotor 25 in the piece transfer casing 24 (see Figure 7).

On the intermittently rotating shaft 36 is a "sprocket l3l which, by a chain I32 indicated in dotted lines in Figure 1, is connected by a sprocket and chain to drive, in any familiar manner, the two feed rollers I33, I33 which act to feed the piece wrapper strip 38 to and through glee channel 39, and thence to the wrapping drum At the front of the machine on the forward end of the continuously rotating shaft II8 (see Figure 1) is mounted an eccentric mechanism I39 connected to a transfer bar 4! by link 41' The plunger 35 which operates to transfer the pieces A from the casing 24 to the wrapping drum 36 is fixed to the top of one arm 35 of a rocker member I40 mounted on a stud shaft I4I fixed to the frame (see Figures 1, 5 and 6). Said rocker member is connected by a link I42 to the eccentric I39. By this mechanism the transfer bar 4'I is operated in unison with the reciprocating movement of the plunger 35 so as to transfer the pieces A from the casing 24 to the wrapping drum in timed relation to the removal of said piece when partially wrapped, by the transfer bar 41. An upper sealing iron 43 associated with the wrapping drum as shown in Figures 1 and 6 is carried at the upper end of an arm I43 which is fixed to the rocker member I40. The sealing iron is thus operated in timed unison with the plunger 35. A sealing iron 42 is mounted on a I45 indicates a link yieldingly and pivotally connected to a fixed stud I46 on the rocker arm I40 at one end and pivotally connected by pin and slot I41 at the other end to operate the sealing iron 42 (see By this construction the sealing irons the wrappers for the pieces as hereinbefore described, with a yielding movement which permits ,them to remain in contact for a short length of I time during the transfer of a piece from the casing 24 to the wrapping drum 36 by the reciprocating plunger 35.

While in describing the preferred embodiment of the invention it is shown as applied to the conveying of gum sticks, it will be understood that it is applicable for conveying sticks, pieces or other objects of any material.

the term sticks will be used, where necessary, in

For the sake of brevity the claims to refer to the articles which the machine is designed to convey.

I claim as my invention: 1. In a machine for wrapping sticks, means for I intermittently feeding said sticks endwise, a casspaced below said inlet opening, a rotary transfer disc intermittently rotatable upon a horizontal axis in said casing adaptedto transfer a stick delivered at said inlet opening to rest upon said shell, aligned openingsm the cpp'osit'e' wallsof said casing in the plane of said horizontal shelf, 'and an intermittently operatingplunger acting in line with said last named op'en'ings and in time'd I relation to the interm'itent rotation of said transfer disc to discharge a pece "from said shelf thrcug'hione of said openings.

'2. In:a macliine for'-wrapping sticks, means "fer intermittently feeding saidstic-ks endwise, a'casmg disposed in a vertical plane at right angles to *the plane of feed of said sticks and being provided with an inlet opening, a horizontal shelf spaced below saidinlet openinga rotary transfer disc intermittently rotatable 'upon a horizontal axis in said casing adapted to transfer a stick delivered at said inlet opening to restupon said shelf, =s'ai'd rotary transfer disc being provided with arcuately spaced, upwardly "and reaiwardly opening pockets adapted to "receive said: pieces in succession, -a springcontro'lled gate providing a forward *wall 'of said feed means, "said disc having arcuate fingers extending in the direction "(if "its ro'tation, means carried-by-said fingers -adapted 'to swing said 'gate to permit a piece to be carried away by one of said pockets, and said "arcu'ate lingers in succession being adapted to arrest the next succeedingpiece and with said gate retain,

it until the next succeeding :pocket is brought "to -pesiti'on below it.

3. combination, a'casing'means providing a discharge "c'hu'te opening into said easing "includ- "ing 'a spring-controlled gate normally providingthe-bottom partof the forward'wa' ll of said chute, 'a disc rotatably mounted on a horizontal axis, said-disc being provided with "a plurality fo'i like, equal-1y spaced pockets inclined rearwardly with respect to the direction of rotation of said (disc,

said disc being intermittently rotatable to bring a pocket below said chute, a shelf fixed 'in said casing and spaced below said Tchu'te, means carried :by said disc adapted to support a stick in said chute until "a pocket "has been brougl-it to position to receive it, and means "intermediate said las't named means and said gate adapted to swing-said gate out cf the'waye'f apiece when lit has dropped into said pocket.

4. "In combination, a 'cejsingfm'ea'ns providing a vertical discharge chute .openingin'to said casing, including a spring-controlled gate normally .providing its 'front wall at its discharge end, an intermittently rotatable member on a horizontal axis insaid-casing'provided a pliuality of like, "equally spaced pockets inclined rearwar'dly to -the direction of said rotation, .a like number of euuallyspa ce'd arcuatefingers travelingfin a path radially beyond "thetpath o'f said pockets, each finger presenting astop to arrest Itheifeedof said sticksafter'a stick "drops into apocket-and-to support *thefollomn'g stick with the next succeeding pocket is brought "to position below said chute, and interacting "means between said gate and said fingers'adapted'to swing said gatea-wayfrom a supported stick when said next succeeding pocket is brought "below said chute.

-5.-In combination, a casing, means providing aw'ertical discharge chute opening .i-ntosaid casin'g, including a spring-controlled vgate normally providing its front wall at'its discharge end, an intermittently rotatable member ,-.on a :horizental "axis in said casing provided with a plurality of dike; equally spaced pockets Linclined rearwardly te thedirection of said rotation, alike number of equally spaced arcuate fingers traveling in a path radially beyond {the path of said-pockets,

each linger presenting arsto'p to arrest the feed of said sticks after a stick tdrops into-:a pocket and "to support the ."'followingts'ti'ck until the .next succeeding pocket is brought' to position below said chute, interacting means between said gate and saidfingersadapte'dto swing said :gaite away from a. supportedstick'when said nextzsucceeding pocket is broughtabelowisaid chute, a fixed horizontal shelf belowzsaid chute adapted to receive a piece in the intermittent :rdtation or said "disc, and means for ejecting said *piece laterally from said shelf vand said casing.

6. In combination, ;a casing, :means providing a vertical dischargechute opening into said casing and adapted to discharge pieces lengthwise into said casing, a f'fixed'tshelf spaced below-said discharge chute, an intermittently rotatable :disc on a horizontal axis provided with :a plurality of like, equally spaced pockets inclined reartvardly to the direction of rotation of said disc, said pockets being arcuately spaced to deliver apiece to said shelf when a followingpieceis discharged from said chute, :said :chute :having a forwardly movable gate at its bottom end, means intermediate said disc and said gate adapted to release a piece when a pocket is below said :chute, stops oni'said fdisc each extending between sue :cessive :po'ckets adapted to .retain said sticks in "said *c'hute -unti1ta pocket has come to rest therebelow, and a .re'ciprocable plunger timed to slisoharge :a [piece 20h :said .shelffiom said casing an an interim of :theiriterniittent movement :of said dfSTC. i 1

751p "combination, a casing, means fprovitiing a vertical discharge chute opening into-said casing to discharge pieces lengthwise thereto, a fixed "shelfiin said casing spaced below said Hischarge chute, ancintennittently rotatable unemher on a horizontal axis provided with a urality of cika reauailly spaced pockets movable 1 secicessionithroug'h an angle of approximately ninety :degrees from said discharge chute to sai'd shelf, devices 'iinovable with said rotatable 11161111381 bridging the spaces between-said pockets adapted to retain said pieces in said chute until a pocket Fha's .zheen brought to' position therebelow when a ;piece' is released to said pocket "in upright lengthwise position and the next following device :stops further feed of the next piece above, :and reciprocabl'e means in line with said shelf :moving in timed relation with said rotatable member and transversely of its plane :of rotation adapted :to "discharge a piece inisldewise positicn -:fr0m:s'aid shelf and casingin an interval of the 0 ber of *arcuate fingers bridging tl" chute until :a .pocket has been brought to :a position :therebelow and somewhat :fortv'ard Zthesredf, with the next succeeding finger arrestingiurther discharge 'from: said chute, and reciproca-blc means in line with said shelf movable :transversely of said casing in timed" with said rotatable:memloer and-z-transversely fUf Jits plane of rotation adapted {to dischargep-a piece in sidewise position from said shelf and easing said rotating member. Y

9. In combination, a casing, means providing a vertical discharge chute opening into said casing to discharge pieces lengthwise thereto, an intermittently rotatable member on a horizontal axis provided with a plurality of like, equally spaced pockets'movable'in succession from said discharge chute, devices movable with said rotatable member bridging the spaces between said pockets adapted to retain said pieces in said chute until a pockethas been brought to position therebelow when a piece is released to said pocket and the next following device stops further feed of the next piece above, the retaining surfaces of said bridging devices being curved inwardly of said rotatable member adjacent each of said pockets so as to reduce the shock of the drop of a piece into the latter but to render said pockets relativel shallow, a fixed shelf spaced below said discharge chute adapted to support each piece in horizontal position when it comes to rest thereon, and reciprocable means operating in line with said shelf adapted to discharge such piece in sidewise position from said shelf;

and casing.

10. In combination, a vertical magazine including a spring-controlled gate normally providing its front wall at it discharge end, an intermittently rotatable member on a horizontal axis below said magazine, provided with a plurality of like, equally spaced pockets adapted to be moved successively into position below said magazine and adapted to receive sticks in upright position from said magazine, a fixed horizontal shelf in: the path of movement of the sticks spaced below said magazine and adapted to support said sticks when they have reached a substantially horizontal position, means carried by said rotatable member for positively opening said gate to re-:

lease said stick from the front of the magazine, and means operating in timed relation with said rotatable member for ejecting a stick from said shelf and said pockets.

11. In combination, a casing, a vertical dis-;

charge for delivering elongated pieces successively into said casing in upright position, a gate yieldably mounted at the discharge end of said chute and normally forming its front wall, an intermittently rotatable transfer member on a;-;;

horizontal axis in said casing provided with a plurality of like, equally spaced pockets adapted to receive pieces fromsaid chute in upright position, means carried by said rotatable member for positively opening said gate to release each piece; r

from the front of said chute after it has been deposited in said pocket, and means for ejecting a piece from said pockets and said casing when said pockets have reached a predetermined position.

12. In combination, a casing, an upright discharge chute to discharge pieces into said casing, an intermittently rotatable member on a horizontal axis provided with a plurality of like, equally spaced pockets movable successively be-; neath said discharge chute to receive a piece therefrom, retarding devices movable with said rotatable member bridging the spaces between said pockets beyond the path of said pockets, adapted to retain said pieces in said chute until a pocket has been brought to receiving position therebelow, when a piece is released to said pocket and the next following retarding device stops further feed of the next piece above, a reciprocating plunger'movable in timed relation with said in an interval of the intermittent movement of rotatable member and transversely of the plane of rotation of the latter for ejecting pieces successively from said pockets and from said casing, said rotatable member also having an arcuate slot extending circumferentially thereof adjacent each of said pockets and radially inwardly of said retarding devices so as to permit said rotatable member to resume rotation while said plunger is being withdrawn from each successive pocket.

13. In combination, a casing, an upright discharge chute to discharge pieces into said casing, an intermittently rotatable member on a horizontal axis provided with a plurality of like, equally spaced pocket movable successively beneath said discharge chute to receive a piece therefrom, a like number of equally spaced arcuate fingers extending in the direction of rotation of said rotatable member and traveling in a path radially beyond the path of said pockets, each of said fingers terminating above the proximate side of its respective pockets so as to retain said pieces in said chute until the succeeding pocket has been brought to position for receiving a piece from said chute, a reciprocating plunger movable transversely of the plane of rotation of said rotatable member in timed relation with said intermittently rotatable member for discharging said pieces successively from said pockets and said casing after said pieces have been carried to a point below said discharge chute, said arcuate fingers being arranged to permit said rotatable member to resume its rotation beforesaid plunger is fully withdrawn from each successive ocket. 14. In a machine for wrapping elongated sticks, a casing, a vertically disposed chute for feeding said sticks into said casing, a rotary transfer disk intermittently rotatable upon a horizontal axis in said casing and having a plurality of like equally spaced pockets in its periphery adapted to receive successive sticks from said chute in upright endwise position, and upon rotation of said disk to move said sticks into a predetermined substantially horizontal position in said casing, said casing also having aligned openings in its side walls registering with the said predetermined horizontal position of said sticks, a rotary receiving disk disposed to one side of said casing and intermittently rotatable in timed relation with said transfer disk on an axis disposed at right angles to the latter, said receiving disk having a plurality of like equally spaced pockets in its periphery adapted to be successively positioned in alignment with the openings in said casing, and an intermittently operated plunger acting in line with said openings in said casing and acting in an interval of the intermittent rosaid sticks into said casing, a horizontal shelf spaced below said chute, a rotary transfer disk intermittently rotatable upon a horizontal axis in said casing and having a plurality of like equally spaced pockets in its periphery adapted to receive successive sticks from said chute in upright endwise position, and upon rotation of said disk to move said sticks so as to rest upon sa d shelf in a substantially horizontal position, said casing also having aligned openings in its sidewalls registering with said shelf, a rotary receiv ng disk disposed to one side of said casing and intermittently rotatable in timed relation with said transfer disk on an axis disposed at 5 said receiving disk.

tation of said transfer disk and said receiving disk, to discharge the sticks successively along said shelf and from said casing and deposit them in horizontal sidewise position in the pockets of LAWRENCE J. SALADIN.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION. Patent No. 2,5 1, 5 June 20, 19m.

LAWRENCE J. SALADIN.

It is'hereby'certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows; Page it, first column, line 7, claim 9, after the word "chute" and before the coma insert to said shelf-; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office. I

Signed and sealed this 15th day of August, A. D. 19%.

Leslie Frazer (Seal) Acting Commissioner'of Patents. 

